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Two years ago, an editorial regarding basic or clinical studies of several parasitosis in China was published.［1］ As is known to all, some parasitic diseases, especially schistosomiasis and echino-coccosis, are still prevalent in the south and west of China, respectively. Therefore, it is significant to review a few research papers in the field of medical parasitology and write another editorial.
History of medical parasitology in China
Wu［2］ from Nanjing Medical University wrote a significant paper “Medical parasitology in China: a historical perspective”. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, tremendous successes have been achieved in controlling parasitic diseases. This has been attributed primarily to the government under the leadership of the Chinese Commnunist Party which paid great attention to controlling diseases and to improving education and research in this field to bring up a new generation of professionals and experts. However, the control of parasitic diseases, especially schistosomiasis, cysticercosis and echinococcosis, still remains one of the major heath problems in China.
Echinococcosis
Echinococcosis is usually divided into two types, cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE). They differ in parasitology, pathology, epidemiology, clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment. CE is more common than AE and the prognosis of the CE patient is better than that of the AE sufferer. The epidemic areas of AE in Gansu Province are mainly in the central eastern parts including Zhang County, Ming County, Jingyuan and Lintao. Jiang［3］ from Lanzhou Medical College wrote a review paper, in which prevalent situation and epidemic factors of AE were reported. CE frequently occurs in liver or lung: other organs such as brain, bone, kidney and heart are seldom affected.
Parasitosis on the plateau
Over recent decades, parasitic diseases such as echinococcosis have been prevalent on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Is there a relationship between Echinococcus infection and high altitude? I wonder whether the plateau environment may increase the susceptibility to the occurrence of echinococcosis. The domestic and wild animals on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau such as dog, fox, sheep, yak, Ochotona curzoniae, etc, are the definite and intermediate hosts of Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. The life cycle of the parasite thus easily is maintained. Hence, Wu［4］ wrote a paper “Chronic mountain sickness on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau” to introduce CMS all-around. CMS is characterized by excessive polycythemia and severe hypoxemia. Perhaps because echinococcosis always coexists with CMS, CMS should be treated well prior to surgical treatment for CE or AE in order to increase human resistance to the operative damage.
Malaria
Malaria remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the tropical area. Worldwide, an estimated 300 million to 500 million cases of malaria each year result in about one million deaths, mainly children under five in Africa. An early, rapid and accurate diagnostic method is one of the key measures for malaria control remaining developed urgently. Xu［5］ et al, from Institute of Tropical Medicine at the First Military Medical University, reported generation and selection of scFvs, from a phage-displayed antibody library, against Plasmodium falciparum. The results showed that all of them could bind to specific target antigen and had a relative molecular mass of about 31 kDa. They could be used as immunological reagents for diagnosis or/and therapy of malaria.
Schistosomiasis
Until recently, the immunodiagnostic methods for detection of Schistosoma japonica were confined to qualitative detection of blood antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, indirect haema-gglutination test or circumoval precipitin test. Recently, a new quantitative technique was introduced by Wang［6］ et al, from Xiangya Basic Medical College of Central South University, using a Chinese piezoelectric immunosensor apparatus. Its simple operation, quick analysis and observation of antigen-antibody reaction make it superior to existing common serological tests.
In conclusion, by means of introduction in the two editorials, basic or clinical studies of some common parasitosis in China such as schistosomiasis, echinococcosis, kara-azar and myiasis have been highlighted. Further continuous effort should be made to consolidate and develop these accomplishments.
REFERENCES
1.Jiang CP. Basic or clinical research of several parasitoses in China. Chin Med J 2002;115:1443-1444.
2.Wu GL. Medical parasitology in China: a historical perspective. Chin Med J 2005, In Press.
3.Jiang CP. Present epidemic situation of liver alveolar echinococcosis in Gansu Province, China. Chin Med J 2005; 118:327-328.
4.Wu TY. Chronic mountain sickness on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Chin Med J 2005;118:161-168.
5.Xu WW, Li WQ, Li M, et al. Construction of anti-SERA phage-displayed antibody library and the screen and identification of single chain Fv antibodies (ScFvs). Chin J Cell Mol Immunol (Chin) 2002;18:58-62.
6.Wang SP, Wen ZL, Wu CY, et al. Optimization the conditions for detection of Schistosoma japonicum circulating antigens by piezoelectric immunosensor. Chin J Zoonoses (Chin) 2002;18:47-51.
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